This is my first year of actually breeding my does with my own buck. When I brought GiGi home 3 years ago, we found out she had been bred and she had a large doe. Anyway, GiGi is due on March 1st and I noticed yesterday that instead of coming over to the gate and jumping up to greet me, she was instead standing in the corner and arching her back a little and acting like she had to strain. She's eating and drinking normally and is going to the "bathroom" OK. I checked on her sevaral times and there has not been any change. But she acts like she feels OK except for arching her back occasionally.

Did I read somewhere that goats have "Braxton Hicks" like people can a month or so before they are due? Any ideas, thanks for any help.

-- kathy (kathy0801@msn.com), January 16, 2002

Answers

My does will arch their backs before they move their bowels, I think they get a little constipated during pregnancy. Yes, they do get false labor and braxton hicks just like people. Sometimes it can be very hard to tell if the doe is truly in labor or not!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 16, 2002.